Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 19 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in 38 minutes.
Tim Clifford RIPPED DOWN 7 rebounds, swished in 10 points, handed out 3 assists, and blocked 2 shots in 33 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton DRAINED 20 points, snatched 4 steals, distributed 4 assists, and grabbed 7 rebounds in 39 minutes.
Holy Cross out rebounded Bucknell 29-25.
Bucknell had 12 steals while Holy Cross had 9.
Holy Cross had 19 turnovers while Bucknell had 15.
The Saders allowed Bucknell to made 52% of their two point field goals and 55% of their three pointers.
Bucknell had 26 points in the paint while Holy Cross had 12.
Bucknell had 18 points off of turnovers while Holy Cross had 11.
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
Holy Cross 20-12 11-3
American 12-17 7-7
Lafayette 11-17 5-9
Navy 10-18 3-11
Colgate 10-19 4-10
Army 5-22 1-13
I woke up at 6:00 AM on Friday morning to get ready and start packing for my weekend in Pennsylvania. Around 7:30 Jon picked me up and we drove to Holy Cross where we met up with Dave, who would be driving us to Pennsylvania. We made the trip in record time, about five and a half hours, and arrived at the Sojka Pavilion at 2:30. One Bucknell fan greeted me by saying, "Sucks to wear purple!" It was quite a welcoming statement. When Jon and Dave were trying to sell an extra ticket they had to Bucknell fans waiting in line, a group of Bucknell students passed by us and screamed in our faces, "Welcome to Sojka!" Jon and Dave didn't have much luck selling the ticket so we made our way into the gym. We went over and talked to "Hooptime" and Bob Fouracre. In order to reach them we had to pass by one group of students, who arrived early to the game to get front row seats. I cannot write what they said, but there were some "F" bombs in their sentences. I felt so loved. After we talked to "Hooptime" and Bob we made our way to our seats. We had to pass by another group of students, who gave us another warm welcome.
Once we got to our seats, I saw two people who I regularly see at the Hart Center, who are the biggest Keith Simmons fans. One of the fans is named Jackie, and is a high school classmate of Keith's, and she comes to the games with her mom, Patty. So it was really nice to formally meet them, and they were decked out in their purple attire. Then two Holy Cross cheerleaders came up to us with some signs that they made for the fans to hold up during the game. The signs were great and really creative.
SUPER FANS: Dave (L) and Jon (R) hold up a sign made by the Holy Cross Cheerleaders before tip off.
My Dad and his classmate, Dominic Keating, finally showed up. Dominic claimed that if Kevin Hamilton scored eight points in the first ten minutes, Holy Cross would win. He was not right this time around regarding the win. During the game I sat next to my Dad and a Bucknell fan. There were actually a lot of Bucknell fans in the Holy Cross section, so it was a little awkward.
Unfortunately, the Bison won. I was devastated. I thought that I would get to go to the "Big Dance," for my senior year trip. I was hoping for an NIT bid, but I figured that the Cross would not get one with their record, and I was right. When the award ceremony was about to start that was when I lost it, and it hit me that the season was over for the Saders. After Kevin and Keith received their awards we departed the Sojka Pavilion. I did not get to say goodbye to the seniors or to their parents. My heart goes out to Hamilton and Hyland. I LOVED watching the both of you play these past four years. You are both great guys and I wish you the best of luck with everything. You both have great families and I will really miss seeing the both of you and your families at the Hart Center.
When we left Bucknell, we had dinner at Stirna's. It is a great place with good food, and die-hard Syracuse fans. The entire town worships Gerry McNamara, a Syracuse basketball player. The next day, after I went to Steamtown for an in-depth train tour and to the St. Patrick's Day Parade (see parade photos at Annie's photos), I went back to Stirna's to take pictures of the McNamara shrine. After being in Scranton for a weekend, I became a bit enthralled with McNamara myself. I mean this is a small town, who has a real hometown hero. I have never been in a town that worships someone the way Scranton idolizes Gerry. Not only does Stirna's have a wall dedicated to Syracuse, but stores sell Syracuse merchandise because of him and there are even signs on local stores saying, "Go Gerry!" or "Go Syracuse!" It was just amazing to witness. Dominic, my Dad, and I hope Pat Doherty and Holy Cross can get this kind of worship in Scranton too before the end of his career. I think in order for this to happen, Holy Cross needs to get a lot of games on TV, and the likelihood of that is.....I'm not going there. Anyway, I became so amazed with McNamara that I picked Syracuse for winning the entire NCAA tournament in one of the pools I am in. Yeah....unfortunately for Syracuse, Gerry, Scranton, and myself Syracuse lost in the first round. I hope I do not get made fun of too much at work for this. Oh dear.
On the way home, I had a flashback to my childhood in Vermont as the radio show, Lake Wobegon came on. When I was little, I would dance to the songs that came on this show and laughed at the host, Garrison Keillor's jokes, even though I did not understand the jokes. The last time I heard this show was when I was nine probably, and living in New Hampshire. Ten years later, I still think Keillor is funny and I still like the music he plays. Not much has changed. So hopefully whatever school I wind up at next year, I will still be Sader crazy! I'm just hoping that this Sader game was not my last game as a regular season ticket holder. Hopefully I will be a student at the Cross who attends the games regularly or maybe I'll be a manager with court side seats. I'll keep you posted on that one.
Here's to the hopes that next season the Sader's will return healthy and ready for another successful season! Thanks for fighting through all of the adversity and challenges boys! You did a great job and the tribulations that you endured this season will only make you not only stronger basketball players and a stronger team, but more importantly stronger people. Till next season!
[CROSSPORTS Note: I want to thank you Annie for all her wonderful game recaps, analysis and thoughts. I also salute you for your ever improving photography. With high school, college applications and work, you had an incredibly busy year yet still had time to do a stellar job at CROSSPORTS (pay attention Holy Cross Admissions!!) Everyone in the CROSSPORTS family wishes you the best with college and know whatever school lands you will be a better place for it!]
Saders defeat Mountain Hawks, will play Bucknell for Championship Title
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
Holy Cross 20-11 11-3
American 12-17 7-7
Lafayette 11-17 5-9
Navy 10-18 3-11
Colgate 10-19 4-10
Army 5-22 1-13
Lehigh 19-11 11-3
Holy Cross 19-11 11-3
American 12-16 7-7
Lafayette 11-17 5-9
Navy 10-18 3-11
Colgate 10-19 4-10
Army 5-22 1-13
Lehigh 18-11 11-3
Holy Cross 18-11 11-3
American 11-16 7-7
Lafayette 11-16 5-9
Navy 10-17 3-11
Colgate 10-18 4-10
Army 5-21 1-13
On Wednesday, February, 22nd, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the Colgate Red Raiders 62-56. In the first half, the Raiders went on an 8-2 run. The Crusaders responded by going on their own 9-2 run to provide them with an 11-10 lead over the Raiders. With nine minutes remaining in the half, the Cross was ahead by two, 19-17. The Crusaders built their lead up to eight points after scoring six points. Later, the Saders scored the last seven points in the first half to provide the purple with a 32-22 halftime advantage.
With 17:46 remaining in the rally, junior Keith Simmons swished in his 1,000th point of his collegiate career with a slam dunk to become the 42nd 1,000th point scorer in school history. The Crusaders were able to maintain a large lead over Colgate for a good portion of the second half. With 6:42 remaining in action, Colgate decreased the Cross' lead to four points, 48-44. The purple secured their win by making 10 of 14 free throws.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Keith Simmons SLAMMED IN 21 points, and grabbed 11 rebounds in 35 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton SWISHED IN 17 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, handed out 3 assists, and snatched 3 steals in 40 minutes.
Torey Thomas RIPPED DOWN 6 rebounds, drained 10 points, distributed 4 assists, and snatched 3 steals in 40 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
Colgate was called for 20 personal fouls while Holy Cross was only called for 13.
Holy Cross connected on 40% of their two point field goals.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST LEHIGH
On February 26th, at 1:00 at the Hart Center the Holy Cross Crusaders will battle Lehigh for home court advantage in the Patriot League Tournament. Last season Lehigh finished their season with a 14-15 record and placed fourth in the Patriot League with a 7-7 record. This season they return three of their starters from last season. Their top returning player is Joe Knight, who averaged 13.6 points a game last season. This season Lehigh has a 18-10 record. They have defeated Coppin State, Stony Brook, Eastern, Harvard, Monmouth, Columbia, Muhlenberg, American (2), Navy (2), Army (2), Colgate (2), Lafayette (2), and Holy Cross. They have lost to Northwestern, Butler, Villanova, Princeton, Cornell, Washington State, Towson, and Bucknell (2). Their top scores are Jose Olivero (17.7 points), Joe Knight, (14.7 points), and Kyle Neptune (11.2 points). Their top rebounders are Neptune with 5.3 rebounds a game and Bryan White with 5.3 rebounds a game. More information can be found here: http://www.lehighsports.com/sports/mbball/
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
On Wednesday, February 22nd, Lafayette defeated Army 73-64. Bucknell beat Lehigh 81-70.
On Thursday, February 23rd, American defeated Navy 65-48.
On Saturday, February 25th, American will take on Lafayette at 1:00. Colgate will battle Navy at 3:00, and Army will play Bucknell at 7:00.
The Standings:
Bucknell
22-4 13-0
Lehigh 18-10 11-2
Holy Cross 17-11 10-3
American 10-16 6-7
Lafayette 11-15 5-8
Navy 10-16 3-10
Colgate 9-18 3-10
Army 5-20 1-12
SOME THOUGHTS
I was thrilled that Holy Cross was able to hang on for the win by making most of their foul shots down the stretch. Tomorrow's game against Lehigh will be the beginning of their challenging schedule ahead. This game will definitely be good practice for the Saders for their tournament schedule. Tomorrow is Senior Day so it will be a great opportunity to celebrate Kevin Hamilton and Kevin Hyland's hard work. Thanks for everything guys and congrats to Keith for becoming the 42nd 1000th point scorer in Holy Cross Basketball history!
Lehigh 18-9 11-1
Holy Cross 16-11 9-3
American 9-16 5-7
Lafayette 10-15 4-8
Navy 10-15 3-9
Colgate 9-17 3-9
Army 5-19 1-11
On Wednesday, February 15th, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the Navy Midshipmen, 72-62. In the first half of action, the Saders struggled to build on a substantial lead as Navy brought a lot of energy to the hardwood. With 16:23 remaining in action of the first half, Kevin Hamilton converted on a two point field goal to provide the purple with a 7-4 advantage. This two point field goal sparked an 11-0 run to give the Cross an 18-4 lead with 12:27 left on the clock. At the half the Crusaders remained ahead with a 39-24 lead.
In the second half, Navy reduced the
Crusader’s lead to ten one two different
occasions. The first time occurred when
Navy cut down the Cross’ lead to 55-45
with 9:50 remaining, and the second time
was with 3:20 on the clock when the score
was 68-58. Luckily, Navy was unable to
build up enough momentum to steal the win
from the Saders. Last night the Midshipmen
showed a lot of heart as they did not give
up the entire game. Mat Fanin of Navy
especially displayed a great amount of
heart as he played twenty-nine minutes of
the game with a hurt ACL.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Keith Simmons SLAMMED IN 16 points in 35
minutes.
Alex Vander Baan SWISHED IN 10 points and
grabbed 5 rebounds in 24 minutes.
Torey Thomas RIPPED DOWN 8 rebounds,
handed out 4 assists, snatched 4 steals,
and drained 14 points in 39 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton GRABBED 11 rebounds,
distributed 8 assists, snatched 3 steals,
and triggered in 17 points.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
Holy Cross had 25 turnovers…yuck!
The Cross had 5 blocks while Navy had
none.
The Saders held Navy to making 35.7% of
their two point field goals.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST AMERICAN
On February 18th, the Holy Cross Crusader
will travel to American to take them on at
2:00. Last season American finished off
with an overall 16-11 record, and placed
third in the conference with an 8-6
record. This season 2 of their starters
are returning. Their top returning player
is Andre Ingram, who scored 15.3 points a
game last season. This season American has
a 9-15 record. They have defeated Mount
St. Mary’s, Towson, Howard, St. Francis,
Colgate (2), Army (2), and Lafayette.
They have lost to Washington, Wagner, La
Salle, Loyola, Ohio, George Mason,
Maryland, Vermont, Lehigh (2), Yale,
Bucknell (2), Holy Cross, and Navy. This
season Andre Ingram averages 11.6 points a
game, and grabs 4.8 rebounds a game. For
more information visit:
http://aueagles.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/amer-m-baskbl-body.html
NEWS FROM
AROUND THE P.L.
On Sunday, February 12th, American beat
Colgate 72-64.
On Wednesday, February 15th, Bucknell
defeated Lafayette 69-49. American beat
Army 68-55. Lehigh was victorious over
Colgate, 67-58.
On Saturday, February 18th, Navy travels
to Colgate to play them at 1:30. Bucknell
will be at Northern Iowa at Noon.
The Standings:
Bucknell 21-3 12-0
Lehigh 17-9 10-1
Holy Cross 15-11 8-3
American 9-15 5-6
Lafayette 10-14 4-7
Navy 10-14 3-8
Colgate 8-17 2-9
Army 5-19 1-11
SADER SPOTTINGS
Greg Kinsey and John Hurley!
GREAT FAN QUOTES
“Warm up the boat!”
“Hurry up, I have homework!” This quote
occurred when the shot clock
malfunctioned.
SOME THOUGHTS
When I first walked into the Hart Center
it was definitely weird. My Dad was not
there for the first ten minutes of the
first half because he was returning from a
business trip. Joe was not there because
he was coaching a game, and there were not
any Torey’s Troops. Luckily some of Troops
began to enter at various points during
the first half.
After the Bucknell game, there has been
great debate over whether or not the
students acted appropriate or not
throughout the rally, as numerous
individuals felt the students were not
acting classy. As a result of this, a
letter was sent to the student body from
President Father McFarland, Athletic
Director, Dick Regan, and Coach Willard
about this issue. My point of bringing
this up was that I noticed that the staff
workers and refs were being “stricter than
usual” towards some of the fans. One fan,
who makes most if not all of the home
games, wears a purple Hawaiian shirt, and
is known for standing up and screaming
when an opponent is taking a free throw or
is in bounding the ball. He was told at
this game to sit down by a ref before a
Navy player was about to inbound the rock.
Another instance occurred when a young fan
got on the shoulders of his friend when
the cheerleaders were throwing the free
Domino’s pizza balls to the crowd. This
seemed harmless, he just wanted to get
noticed so he could grab a free pizza, but
he was told to get off of his friend’s
shoulders. I just thought this was
interesting since I have never seen the
staff nor the refs really ever act like
this before, and that is all I am going to
say about this issue.
The Saders seemed to be playing a bit
sloppy. This was clearly not their best
game ever, and they did not do a good job
of valuing the basketball. They cannot
continue to play like this against
American, Colgate, or Lehigh if they want
to clench second place in the Patriot
League. In order for them to accomplish
this, they need to win their next three
games, and Lehigh needs to lose to
Bucknell.
I would like to give a shout out to Mrs.
Clifford, thanks for giving me a Tim’s
Tribe shirt! I appreciate it! Also, thanks
to Kevin Hamilton for putting up a great
fight with an injured toe and back!
On Saturday, February 11th, the Holy Cross Crusaders lost to Bucknell 57-52. With this win, the Bison clenched the home postseason seed for the Patriot League Tournament. The Saders opened up the first half on fire as they went on a 14-4 run. Bucknell began to creep up with the Saders when they decreased their lead to four, 23-19, with 5:35 remaining in the first half. Alex Vander Baan and Kevin Hyland responded by scoring a combined total of five points to increase the Cross' lead to eleven, 30-19. At the half the Crusaders were ahead 33-25.
In the second half, the Crusaders went on a 7-0 run to increase their lead to fifteen points, 40-25. Bucknell began to come alive and pick up their game. With 7:16 remaining in the game, Charles Lee drained a three to decrease the Cross' lead by six, 46-41. Donald Brown responded by drained a deuce, allowing Bucknell to be within three points of tying the game up. Kevin Bettencourt locked the game at 48 with 3:40 left on the clock. Kevin Hamilton replied by triggering in a trey, but Lee and Bettencourt scored a combined total of five points for the Bison allowing them to gain their first lead of the game, 53-51 with 1:27 remaining in regulation, and the Crusaders could not recover.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Keith Simmons POURED IN 13 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and handed out 3 assists in 37 minutes.
Tim Clifford JAMMED IN 10 points in 30 minutes.
Torey Thomas DISTRIBUTED 7 assists, scored 5 points, and grabbed 4 rebounds in 40 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton RIPPED DOWN 6 rebounds, and triggered in 12 points in 31 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
Holy Cross was out-rebounded 31-28.
Both teams were called for 19 fouls.
Holy Cross made 55% of their free throws for the game while Bucknell made 76% of their free throws for the game.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST NAVY
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
On Sunday, February 5th, Navy lost to Army 67-62 in overtime.
On Wednesday, February 8th, American lost to Bucknell 74-57. Lafayette lost to Colgate 63-55.
On Saturday, February 11th, Lehigh defeated Army 69-44. Navy defeated Lafayette 89-69.
On Sunday, February 12th, Colgate travels to play American at 2:30.
On Wednesday, February 15th, Bucknell will take on Lafayette at 6:00. American will take on Army at 7:00. Colgate will play Lehigh at 7:30.
The Standings
Lehigh 16-9 9-1
Holy Cross 14-11 7-3
Lafayette 10-13 4-6
American 7-15 3-6
Colgate 8-15 2-7
Army 5-18 1-10
SADER SPOTTINGS
Greg Kinsey, John Hurley, Dan Brault, and Mbakwe Okafor.
GREAT FAN QUOTES
"Teddy's Better," - Teddy Bettencourt went to Holy Cross, but his younger brother, Kevin, decided to go to Bucknell instead of Holy Cross.
"You need glasses! You need to go see the eye doctor!"
SOME THOUGHTS
So I did wake up at 11:00 on Saturday morning, feeling confident that the Saders would do better than the last two times they played Bucknell. I arrived at the Hart Center around 1:00 and watched the women's team defeat Bucknell. Then thirty five minutes after the women's game ended, it was time for the boy's game. This game, despite the outcome, was a lot of fun. I loved to see all of the students come to support the Saders. They did a great job wearing purple, cheering, and making signs. The Crusaders definitely came out on fire, which is one of the lessons they learned from the last two games. In the last two battles against the Bison, Holy Cross did not come out on fire, resulting in the Saders struggling to get ahead in the game. Even though the Saders lost, I still thought that this game was good practice for the tournament time. This allowed the freshman to see what the games will be like in March. The season is not over yet, and the Saders still have a good chance to win the tournament!
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST BUCKNELL
Lehigh 14-9 7-1
Holy Cross 13-10 6-2
Lafayette 9-12 3-5
American 7-14 3-5
Colgate 8-14 2-6
Navy 8-12 1-6
Army 5-15 1-7
Kevin Hamilton SWISHED IN 26 points in 38 minutes.
Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 14 points in 34 minutes.
Torey Thomas HANDED OUT 10 assists, poured in 13 points, ripped down eight rebounds, and snatched three steals in 39 minutes.
Tim Clifford SLICED DOWN 7 rebounds, triggered in 12 points, and stuffed three blocks in 29 minutes.
Alex Vander Baan GRABBED 6 rebounds and slammed in 10 points in 38 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
Holy Cross made 54.9% of their two point field goals in this contest.
The Saders had 22 turnovers while Navy had 18.
Both teams had 23 personal fouls.
Holy Cross out rebounded Navy 38-24.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST LAFAYETTE
On Saturday, February 4th, the Holy Cross Crusaders will travel to Lafayette to play them at 1:00. Lafayette this season has a 9-11 overall record and a 3-4 record in the Patriot League. They have defeated Alvernia, Princeton, Cornell, St. Francis, Dickinson, Mount St. Mary’s, Colgate, Navy, and Army. They have lost to Saint Josephs, Notre Dame, Saint Peter’s, Marist, Columbia, Fordham, Holy Cross, Pennsylvania, Bucknell, Lehigh, and American. Their top returning player is Andrei Capuson who averaged 7 points a game last season. This season their top scorer is Capuson who averages 10.4 points a game. The top rebounder is Ted Detmer who rips down an average of 4.8 boards a game. For more information click here: http://goleopards.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/lafa-m-baskbl-body.html
NEWS FROM THE P.L.
On Wednesday, February 1st, Bucknell defeated Army 67-54.
On Saturday, February 4th, Bucknell will play Colgate at 1:30. American will travel to Lehigh to take them on at 7:30.
The Standings:
Bucknell 17-3 8-0
Lehigh 13-9 6-1
Holy Cross 12-10 5-2
Lafayette 9-11 3-4
American 7-13 3-4
Colgate 8-13 2-5
Navy 8-12 1-6
Army 5-15 1-7
SOME THOUGHTS
The Saders bounced back from their devastating loss against Lehigh with style. This win was a great way for the team to regroup, but they must remain focused for this weekend as they have a tough challenge ahead of them, Lafayette. There is not one team in the Patriot League that can be over looked, and the Saders must remain focused if they want to clench second place in the league.
Lehigh: Patriot League: 6-1 Overall: 13-9
Holy Cross: Patriot League: 4-2 Overall: 11-10
Lafayette: Patriot League: 3-4 Overall: 9-11
American: Patriot League: 3-4 Overall: 8-13
Colgate: Patriot League: 2-5 Overall: 8-13
On Wednesday, January 25th, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the Colgate Red Raiders 60-42. In the first half, the game was quickly locked at seven after Kevin Hamilton triggered in a trey. Keith Simmons followed up with a dunk and Kevin Hamilton poured in two foul shots to provide the Saders with an 11-7 lead. Colgate responded by going on an 11-0 run to increase their lead to 18-11 with seven minutes remaining in the half. Torey Thomas poured in four foul shots, and Colin Cunningham swished in two foul shots and a three pointer to provide the Saders with a 20-19 lead with 4:09 remaining until halftime. At the half the Saders were ahead by three, 26-23.
In the second half, the Saders opened up the half by going on a 10-0 run to increase their lead to 36-23. During this run, points were scored in by Tim Clifford (2), Kevin Hamilton (8), and Torey Thomas (2). The Saders went on another big 16-2 run providing them with a 52-30 advantage. During this run points were jammed in by Kevin Hamilton (9) and Keith Simmons (7). Also, both Hamilton and Simmons had outstanding dunks, that were amazing during their scoring spurt. The game ended with Kevin Hamilton breaking the steals record, beating former teammate Jave Meade.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 11 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 28 minutes.
Torey Thomas HANDED OUT 8 assists, grabbed 4 rebounds, scored 8 points, did 0 turnovers, and snatched 3 steals in 38 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton SNATCHED 7 steals, poured in 24 points, and grabbed 4 rebounds in 37 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Saders were out rebounded 35-28.
Colgate had 23 turnovers.
Colgate had a total of 3 steals.
In the first half, Colgate held HC to scoring 26% of their two point field goals.
In the second half, HC held Colgate to scoring 27% of their two point field goals.
Holy Cross made 89.5% of their foul shots.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST LEHIGH
On Saturday, January 28th the Holy Cross Crusaders will take on Lehigh at 7:00. Last season Lehigh finished their season with a 14-15 record and placed fourth in the Patriot League with a 7-7 record. This season they return three of their starters from last season. Their top returning player is Joe Knight, who averaged 13.6 points a game last season. This season Lehigh has a 12-9 record. They have defeated Coppin State, Stony Brook, Eastern, Harvard, Monmouth, Columbia, Muhlenberg, American, Navy, Army, Colgate, and Lafayette. They have lost to Northwestern, Butler, Villanova, Princeton, Cornell, Washington State, Towson, and Bucknell. Their top scores are Jose Olivero (17.4 points), Joe Knight, (16.4 points), and Kyle Neptune (11.1 points). Their top rebounder is Neptune with 5.5 rebounds a game. More information can be found here: http://www.lehighsports.com/sports/mbball/
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L
On Wednesday, January 25th Bucknell defeated Lehigh 59-54. Lafayette beat Army 82-61. American lost to Navy 77-68.
On Saturday, January 28th, Army takes on Colgate at 1:30. Lafayette plays American at 2:00. Navy plays Bucknell at 7:30.
The Standings:
- Bucknell: Patriot
League: 6-0 Overall: 15-3
Lehigh: Patriot League: 5-1 Overall: 12-9
Holy Cross: Patriot League: 4-1 Overall: 11-9
Lafayette: Patriot League: 3-3 Overall: 9-10
American: Patriot League: 2-4 Overall: 7-13
Colgate: Patriot League: 1-5 Overall: 7-13
Army: Patriot League: 1-5 Overall: 5-13 - Navy: Patriot League: 1-4 Overall: 8-10
GREAT FAN QUOTES
"Go back to foot locker!"
"Who's your Daddy?" - After Keith Simmons major dunk.
"Always trying to help you out!" - After Kevin Hamilton dunked the ball and bent the rim forward. It took the refs about 30 seconds to realize the rim was bent.
SOME THOUGHTS
I arrived at the Hart Center thirty minutes before tip off because I wanted to grab a nice parking spot on the top of the hill as I was solo for most of the game. I talked with Joe before the game, and met Tim Clifford's Mom, who complimented my work on Crossports, which was very flattering. The two highlights of the game were definitely the dunks by Keith Simmons and Kevin Hamilton as they were amazing. In the first half, the Saders seemed to be asleep out there. To say the least, it was not the most impressive half, but luckily the Cross bounced back by dominating the second half. Tonight the Crusaders have to play the same way they did in the second half in the Colgate game against Lehigh. Lehigh will be a great challenge for the Saders, but they must overcome this tribulation successfully in order to be in second place. GO SADERS!
Holy Cross wins 2000th game in school history against American
Lehigh: Patriot League: 5-0 Overall: 12-8
Holy Cross: Patriot League: 3-1 Overall: 10-9
Lafayette: Patriot League: 2-3 Overall: 8-10
American: Patriot League: 2-3 Overall: 6-12
Colgate: Patriot League: 1-4 Overall: 7-12
Army: Patriot League: 1-4 Overall: 5-12
In the second half of action Thomas cut down the Eagle’s lead to three, 33-30, and Kevin Hamilton scored another trey with 17:07 remaining in the game to minimize the Eagle’s lead by two. The Crusaders locked the game at 39 after Thomas drained a trey. Yet, Boston college went on a 5-0 run, which hurt the Saders momentum, and they were not able to recover.
Torey Thomas POURED IN 16 points and distributed 3 assists in 40 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton SNATCHED 6 steals, swished in 17 points, and grabbed 7 rebounds in 40 minutes.
Tim Clifford JAMMED IN 11 points in 29 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Cross was out rebounded 41-29.
The Crusaders were called for 22 personal fouls while BC was called for 15.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST AMERICAN
On Saturday, January 21st, the Holy Cross Crusaders will take on American University at 3:30 at the Hart Center. Last season American finished off with an overall 16-11 record, and placed third in the conference with an 8-6 record. This season 2 of their starters are returning. Their top returning player is Andre Ingram, who scored 15.3 points a game last season. This season American has a 6-11 record. They have defeated Mount St. Mary’s, Towson, Howard, St. Francis, Colgate, and Army. They have lost to Washington, Wagner, La Salle, Loyola, Ohio, George Mason, Maryland, Vermont, Lehigh, Yale, and Bucknell. This season Andre Ingram averages 11.9 points a game, and grabs 5 rebounds a game. For more information visit: http://aueagles.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/amer-m-baskbl-body.html
On Monday, January 16th, Penn defeated Lafayette 105-73.
On Tuesday, January 17th, Navy defeated Longwood 71-65.
On Wednesday, January 18th, Bucknell defeated Lafayette 62-32. Lehigh beat Colgate 53-45, and American defeated Army in double overtime 65-63.
On Saturday, January 21st, Lehigh will play Lafayette at 1:00 and Colgate will take on Bucknell at 7:00.
The Standings:
Bucknell: Patriot League: 4-0 Overall: 13-3
Lehigh: Patriot League: 4-0 Overall: 11-8
Holy Cross: Patriot League: 2-1 Overall: 9-9
Lafayette: Patriot League: 2-2 Overall: 8-9
American: Patriot League: 2-2 Overall: 6-11
Colgate: Patriot League: 1-3 Overall: 7-11
Navy: Patriot League: 0-3 Overall: 7-9
Army: Patriot League: 0-4 Overall: 4-12
Ron Perry doing the cover for CSTV!
GREAT FAN QUOTES
“Just say no,” referring to Williams during his free throws.
“Torey, make it happen!”
“Good catholic scools, 5 Hail Mary, 5 Glory Be’s,” Dad- referring to the mini brawl between the ball clubs.
SOME THOUGHTS
This week was midterms at the regional, which is why my write ups have been late. I apologize, but I still chose to go out and have fun during my midterm week, and I have no regrets at all. This game was still a lot of fun, despite the loss. The night before this game, I went and saw the Lady Saders play Duke. I saw Torey Thomas, said a quick hello to him, and then I saw Coach Sachs, who reassured me that the Crusaders were ready for this matchup. Even though they did not escape with a win, they still held their own. During the game Keith Simmons cramped up a few times, which prevented him from playing. I believe that if he were in the game longer, than BC may not have returned to Boston with a win. So I look forward to tomorrow’s matchp with American, as it will be an exciting rally!
In the second half of action, the Crusaders went on a 10-4 run where points were swished in by Kevin Hamilton (8), and Keith Simmons (2) to minimize Bucknell’s advantage to fourteen points with 15:54 remaining in action. Bucknell’s lead was quickly cut down to nine points, 40-31, after Kevin Hamilton poured in four points and Keith Simmons drained a trey. Yet, the Bison quickly regained their stride and finished off the ball game with a solid victory.
Kevin Hamilton JAMMED IN 18 points, ripped down 9 rebounds, and snatched 3 steals in 40 minutes.
Torey Thomas HANDED OUT 4 assists, poured in 10 points, and grabbed 6 rebounds in 40 minutes.
Keith Simmons DRAINED 12 points and stole four steals in 36 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Crusaders out rebounded the Bison, 27-26.
Both teams had 2 blocks.
The Crusaders had 11 steals while Bucknell had 10.
The Crusaders were held to shooting 29.3% from the field.
On Tuesday, January 17th, at 7:00 the Holy Cross Crusaders will play the Boston College Eagles at the DCU Center in Worcester. Last season they finished off with an overall 25-5 record and finished in first place in their conference with a 13-3 record. Their top returning player is Craig Smith, who averaged 18 points a game last season.
SOME THOUGHTS
On Friday I left for Scranton, PA where I would be staying overnight at a hotel with my Dad. The car ride was not too bad, at parts it was pretty foggy. I cannot tell you what parts because I have no sense of direction. So if you ever travel with me, you do not want me to navigate, unless you want to get brutally lost. We stopped for dinner at a place called, The Diner, which is such an original and creative name, I must say. Nonetheless, it was really good, and they had just about everything to choose from on the menu, making the selection process for the meal nearly impossible. So I went with a classic bacon cheeseburger, one cannot go wrong with this. We continued driving and arrived at the hotel around 10:30, not too shabby. Another Crusader fan, Jon, made the trip, so we discussed our plans for the next morning.
On
Wednesday, January 11th, the Holy Cross Crusaders won
their second consecutive game of their conference
schedule against Army, 84-46. In the first half, Army
was able to hold their own against the Crusaders. The
first tie of the ball game occurred with 18:09
remaining in the first half with the score locked at
5. Army gained their first lead of the ball game with
15:33 left in action after Corban Bates of Army made a
lay-up, making the score 11-10. Holy Cross swished
into their grove as they increased their lead by
fourteen points, 40-26 with 1:54 minutes left until
the half. At halftime, the score was 43-28.
In the second half, the Cross increased their lead by
forty three points, 81-38, with 4:51 left in round
ball action. The last three points for the Saders
were poured in by Victor Vaval.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Alex Vander Baan RIPPED DOWN 6 rebounds and poured in
9 points in 30 minutes.
Torey Thomas DISTRIBUTED 7 assists, swished in 16
points, and grabbed 5 rebounds in 35 minutes.
Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 26 points in 29 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton TRIGGERED IN 21 points, handed out 4
assists, and snatched 3 steals in 34 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
HC out rebounded Army 30-26
The Saders made 88% of their free throws and scored
57.4% of their two point field goals.
The Cross held army to making 34% of their two point
field goals and 25% of their three point field goals.
The Saders had 19 assists while Army only had 6.
Holy Cross scored a Christl arena-record 15 three
pointers.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST BUCKNELL
On Saturday, January 14th, the Holy Cross Crusaders
will take on Bucknell University at 1:00 at Bucknell.
This season Bucknell’s record is 11-3. They have
defeated Rider, Syracuse, Yale, Niagara, DePaul,
Cornell, Haverford, St. Joseph’s, Boston University,
Navy, and American. They have lost to Villanova,
Santa Clara, and Duke. Their leading scorers are
Chris McNaughton with 15.1 points a game, Kevin
Bettencourt with 12.6 points a game, and Charles Lee
with 11.5 points a game. McNaughton has made 64% of
his two point field goals, 50% (2-4) of his three
point field goals, and 79.6% of his free throws. He is
also their leading rebounder with 5 rebounds a game.
So basically the Saders need to knock McNaughton
down…not literally speaking of course. Click here to
find out more information on the Bucknell Bison:
http://bucknellbison.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/buck-m-baskbl-body.html
NEWS FROM
AROUND THE P.L
On Monday, January 9th, Yale defeated American 71-59.
On Wednesday, January 11th, Lafayette defeated Colgate
85-74. Lehigh beat Navy 65-58, and Bucknell beat
American 58-50.
On Saturday, January 14th, Navy travels to Lafayette
to take them on at 1:00. American will be at Colgate
to play them at 1:30. Army will play at Lehigh at
7:30.
The Standings:
Bucknell: Overall: 11-3
Patriot League: 2-0
Holy Cross: Overall: 9-7
Patriot League: 2-0
Lehigh: Overall: 9-8
Patriot League: 2-0
Lafayette: Overall: 7-7
Patriot League: 1-1
Colgate: Overall: 7-9
Patriot League: 1-1
Navy: Overall:
6-8 Patriot League: 0-2
Army: Overall:
4-10 Patriot League: 0-2
American: Overall: 4-11
Patriot League: 0-2
SOME THOUGHTS
This game was a critical game for the Saders. Looking
at Army’s present record and their previous history
over the last few years, it would be easy for a team
to overlook them. It would be easy for a team to walk
onto that hardwood with the wrong mentality. Yet, the
Crusaders did not do this. They treated Army just like
all of their other opponents. To be 2-0 feels good,
but they have a much harder challenge ahead of them,
the Bucknell Bison. I will be attending this game so I
will have many stories and a great write up. Keep in
mind that next week I have midterms so except this
write up and the Boston College game (next Tuesday) to
be possibly late. We will just have to see how
studying goes. I may do my writeup during a study
break. On another note, I would also just like to
mention that I was accepted into Roger Williams
University today, and I am really excited about this.
Now let’s beat the Bison!!
___________________________________________________________
Kevin Hamilton SWISHED IN 38 points, and grabbed seven rebounds in 39 minutes.
Alex Vander Baan DRAINED 11 points in 32 minutes.
Torey Thomas POURED IN 11 points, and handed out 6 assists in 40 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Cross out rebounded Tennessee Chattanooga 36-29.
On Tuesday, December 20th,
the Holy Cross Crusaders battled an undefeated Clemson and lost
71-48. In the first eight minutes of the game Clemson was ahead
9-6. Clemson continued their up-tempo style of play as they went
on an 11-3 run to provide them with a 20-9 lead. Yet, the Saders
responded by going on a 13-2 run to tie the game at 22. At the
half the score was 25-24, with Clemson leading the way.
In the second half, the Crusaders trailed by four, 44-40 with
eleven minutes remaining on the clock. Clemson then went on a 27-8
to secure a 23 point win.
HOT PLAYERS OF
THE BALL GAME
Alex Vandeer Baan JAMMED IN 15 points and ripped down 7 rebounds
in 32 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton SLAMMED IN 13 points in 38 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF
THE BALL GAME
The Saders only scored 37% of their two point field goals.
The Cross had 21 turnovers compared to Clemson's 13.
In the second half, the Saders came out on fire as they went on an 8-2 run to create a 47-39 lead. Mississippi State responded by going on a 9-0 run to provide them with a 56-51 advantage. With 2:50 remaining in action, the Crusaders were ahead 70-61 after they went on a 9-0 run.
With 1:21 left in the game, the Cross' 72-65 lead was destroyed. Dietric Slater and Reginald Delk reduced the Cross' lead to three, 72-69 after tossing in a few field goals. Kevin Hamilton went to the line and swished in two free throws to give the purple a five point lead. Walter Sharpe and Jarmont Gordon both connected on field goals to make the score 74-73. Freshman Alex Vander Baan converted on one of his two free throws with 11.7 seconds in the ball game. Jamall Edmondston hit a three point field goal with 4.5 seconds to give the Bulldogs the win.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Alex Vander Baan SWISHED IN 21 points and grabbed 9 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton POURED IN 27 points, handed out 6 assists, and snatched 3 steals in 40 minutes.
Torey Thomas TOSSED IN 13 points in 40 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Cross had 6 steals while MSU had 2.
MSU made 59% of their two point field goals.
On Tuesday, December 27th, the Holy Cross Crusaders travel to Fairfax, VA to take on George Mason at 7:00. Last season the Patriots finished off with a 16-13 record and placed sixth in their conference with a 10-8 record. This season they are returning all of their starters. Their top returning player is Lamar Butler, who scored 16 points a game last season. This season the Patriots have a 6-3 record. They have defeated UC Irvine, Manhattan, Georgia State, American, Radford, and Hampton. They have lost to Wake Forest, Creighton, and Old Dominion. This season Jai Lewis and Lamar Butler are both averaging 14.6 points a game. For more information on George Mason visit there site: http://gomason.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/gema-m-baskbl-body.html
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
On Monday, December 19th Bucknell defeated Haverford 76-44.
On Tuesday, December 20th, Cornell defeated Army 74-39. Harvard beat Colgate 68-59. Lafayette shut down Dickinson 72-52 while Navy barely lost to Yale 73-70.
On Wednesday, December 21st, Bucknell defeated St. Joseph's 63-51.
On Thursday, December 22nd, Navy defeated Brown 73-64.
On Friday, December 23rd, no. 16 Maryland defeated American 81-55 and no. 9 Washington beat Lehigh 54-37.
The Standings:
Bucknell: 8-1
Lafayette: 5-5
Colgate: 5-6
Holy Cross: 5-6
Lehigh: 5-6
Army: 4-6
Navy:4-5
American: 3-6
SOME THOUGHTS
This week has been so crazy in terms of my school schedule. Oddly, I did not have a lot of exams, just a take home Novel and Film test, and a math quiz on Thursday. Yet, I had to do a lot of reading for my Novel and Film class, about 50 pages a night, because since my school is under heavy duty construction books have been misplaced. So my teacher had to make us read through this book quickly so she could give her other novel and film class the book to read over vacation. So I simply did not have time to tune into the games. Also, the timing of the games were inconvenient, one was at noon, another at four. I also worked all week, which did not help tuning into the games any easier. Yet, I am really looking forward to my week off!
I was really proud of the Saders for defeating Tennessee Chattanooga on my SIXTH YEAR CRUSADER ANNIVERSARY! I will always remember that Kevin Hamilton scored his career high, thirty eight points on that day. It is a better memory than losing to Vermont six years ago. I really did want to go to this tournament, but it would simply be impossible. There was no way I could go and not lose credits for my classes. You see, I take only two full year courses, meaning the rest of them are only half year. You can only miss seven half year classes before you lose credit, and I already had missed two days of school. So I was really bummed out that it did not happen, but what are you going to do?
The Saders are still struggling, trying to find a way to win games with so many of their players hurt. I have no doubt in my mind that they will pull together as a team, and I am just grateful all of these challenges are happening now instead of during conference time.
Crusaders eat up the Bears
On Wednesday, December 7th, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the Brown Bears in a thrilling 64-41 victory. The ball game opened up with the Saders struggling to hold onto the lead early on in the first half, but they quickly developed their stride. The Cross went on a 14-6 run to gain a 23-15 lead. One of the bigger plays of the game was when Keith Simmons had a huge block, and then he hustled back down the court to drain two treys, providing the Saders with a 37-22 halftime advantage.
In the second
half the Cross continued to play up-tempo as they increased their
lead by twenty points, 52-32 with
HOT PLAYERS OF
THE BALL GAME
Tim Clifford SWISHED IN 21 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and stuffed 4 blocks in 24 minutes.
Keith Simmons POURED IN 14 points in 35 minutes.
Keith Hamilton TRIGGERED IN 12 points and ripped down 6 rebounds in 27 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS
OF THE BALL GAME
The Cross out rebounded the Bears 37-29.
The Saders had 21 assists while the Bears only had 9.
The Crusaders held the Bears to shooting 28.6% from the field, and 12.5% from three land.
The Saders made 89% of their free throws.
GREAT QUOTES
FROM THE STANDS
All of these quotes are in reference to one of the referees.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“You’re terrible!”
“Swallow that, would ya!”
UPCOMING GAME
AGAINST TENNESSE-CHATTANOOGA
On December 19th,
the Holy Cross Crusaders will be battling Tennesse-Chattanooga at
NEWS FROM
AROUND THE P.L
On Wednesday, December 7th, American defeated Mount St. Mary’s 80-60. Lehigh lost to Sacred Heart 66-55.
On Thursday,
December 8th, Army lost to VMI 72-63 while Navy defeated
On Saturday,
December 10th, Lehigh beat Harvard 67-56. American swept
by
On Monday,
December 12th, Lehigh will play Monmouth at
On Saturday,
December 17th, Army will take on New York Maritime at
On Sunday,
December 18th, Navy will host
The Standings:
Bucknell: 5-1
Colgate: 5-4
Holy Cross: 4-4
Lehigh: 4-6
Army: 3-5
Navy: 2-4
American: 2-6
SOME
THOGUHTS
This ball game
was absolutely thrilling. The Saders all appeared focused and came
out ready to play. I felt that the Cross came out on the hardwood
with great confidence in their capabilities as a ball club. The
students were absolutely outstanding as they were into the game and
were really making a lot of noise. Their efforts were truly
appreciated! Now the Saders get a short break during their final
exams before Christmas break, and then they will be down in sunny
ALBANY, N.Y. - Junior guard Keith Simmons (Kingston, N.Y.) recorded 20 points and seven rebounds, but it was not enough as the Holy Cross men's basketball team was defeated by Siena 68-63 at Pepsi Arena. The Crusaders fall to 2-4 on the season with the loss, while the Saints improve to 2-2.
Siena started the game hot, and jumped out to a 12-2 lead after the first seven minutes of play. Holy Cross would respond with a 7-0 run later in the half, and trailed by just two points (26-24) at the break.
The Crusaders tied the score at 29-29 early in the second half, but then the Saints went on an 8-0 to take control of the game. Siena would increase its lead to as many as 15 points (51-36) at the 10:35 mark, and was still up by 10 (60-50) with just over two minutes left to play. Holy Cross managed to make it a four-point game on a basket by freshman forward Colin Cunningham (Memphis, Tenn.) with 54.7 seconds remaining, but turned the ball over on its next possession and would get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
Cunningham finished the game with career-highs of 16 points and nine rebounds for the Crusaders, while junior guard Torey Thomas (White Plains, N.Y.) added five points, five assists, five steals and 11 rebounds.
Siena was led by Tay Fisher and David Ryan with 18 points each. The Saints made 10 of 22 three-point field goal attempts on the night, including five by Fisher and four from Ryan.
Sophomore guard Pat Doherty (Scranton, Pa.) missed the game due to injury, while senior guard Kevin Hamilton (Queens Village, N.Y.) did not play due to illness.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Colin Cunningham JAMMED IN 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in 30 minutes.
Torey Thomas RIPPED DOWN 11 rebounds, handed out 5 assists, and snatched 5 steals in 40 minutes.
Keith Simmons POURED IN 20 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in 39 minutes.
On Monday, November 28th, the Holy Cross Crusaders lost to the University of Vermont 68-64. The game began close as the teams tied up the ball game at four, but the Catamounts quickly gained control as they went on a 14-3 run to lead the game 18-7. The Saders reduced Vermont's lead to eight, 22-14, but Vermont would not allow the Cross to come any closer as they increased their lead by ten, 31-21. The score at the half was 34-25.
In the second half of action the Crusaders came out on fire as they took their first lead, 40-39, with 14:20 remaining in action where points were contributed by Kevin Hamilton (8), Alex Vander Baan (2), Keith Simmons (3), and Tim Clifford (2). The Catamounts would not go easy on the Saders as they regained control of the contest by going on an 11-5 run to provide them with a 51-44 lead. The Saders reduced this lead by three after Pat Doherty poured in a trifecta with eighteen seconds remaining in the ball game, but unfortunately it was too late in the game for the Saders to spark a fire.
Keith Simmons DRAINED 18 points and grabbed 5 rebounds in 37 minutes.
Pat Doherty POURED IN 12 points in 16 minutes
Kevin Hamilton SWISHED IN 14 points in 27 minutes.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME:
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST SIENA
NEWS FROM AROUND THE P.L.
SOME THOUGHTS
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Bearcats brush by Crusaders
On Friday, November 25, the Holy Cross
Crusaders lost to the Cincinnati Bearcats 77-55. In the first half,
In the second
half, the Bearcats jumped to a sixteen point lead, 45-29, with
HOT PLAYERS
OF THE BALL GAME
Keith Simmons POURED IN 12 points in 33 minutes.
Kevin Hamilton SWISHED IN 13 points and ripped down 6 rebounds in 35 minutes.
Colin Cunningham GRABBED 6 rebounds in 18 minutes.
SHOCKING
STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Cross outrebounded the Bearcats 39-37.
The Saders allowed the Bearcats to make 47.5% of their two point field goals.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST
NEWS FROM
AROUND THE P.L.
The Standings:
Bucknell...3-0
Army...2-2
Holy Cross...2-2
Lafayette...2-2
Colgate...2-3
Lehigh...2-4
American...0-3
Navy...0-3
SOME THOUGHTS
Well....I was out shopping and celebrating my friend's birthday during this game. I can pretty much say that I have no regrets on that decision, as this game was not a fun one. The Saders basically just need to learn how to win and fight through the trials that they are facing as a team. As a fan, I know they can do this, I have seen previous teams go through similar trials and all of them have been able to pull their way out of their negative mentality. I just think that the Cross needs a win soon to boost their morale, and hopefully they will beat Vermont.
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The
Crimson Crush the Saders
On Tuesday, November 22nd, the
Holy Cross Crusaders fell to Harvard 70-55. The first half was a
struggle for both teams as they had a difficult time holding onto their
lead. Harvard began the game with a 3-0 lead, but Tim Clifford and Keith
Simmons put the Saders ahead after they both connected on a two-point
field goals. The lead continued to flip-flop between both ball clubs,
and with 10:59 remaining in the first half the Saders led the rally by
one, 8-7. The biggest lead the Saders had in the first half was when
they were ahead by three with 3:24 remaining until halftime after Alex
Vander Baan poured in a deuce. At the half, the Cross was down 24-23.
The second half opened with the Crusaders going on a 11-5 run,
causing them to lead the game 35-29. During this run points were poured
in by Simmons (5), Clifford (2), Torey Thomas (2), and Vander Baan (2).
With 8:14 left in the ball game, Harvard caught up with the Saders to
reduce their lead to one, 42-41. From this point on, the Crimson took
control over the ball game, allowing them to receive the "W," for the
night.
HOT PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME:
Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 15 points in 37 minutes.
Alex Vander Baan RIPPED DOWN 8 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Torey Thomas SWISHED IN 11 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and snatched 5
steals.
Kevin Hamilton SNATCHED 7 steals, tossed in 10 points, and ripped down 6
boards.
SHOCKING STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Saders shot a low 32.3% from the field, and 17.4% from behind the
arc.
The Cross had 16 steals compared to Harvard's 3.
Harvard distributed 17 assists while Holy Cross handed out 9.
UPCOMING GAME AGAINST CINCINATTI
On Friday, November 25th, Holy Cross will take on Cincinnati at 8:00.
Presently Cincinnati has a 2-0 record. They have played against Murray
State (79-75 in OT) and Illinois State (76-59). Their best player is
James White, who has been averaging 19.5 points a game this season. Eric
Hicks has scored thirteen points and grabbed 10.5 boards per game. More
information about Cincinnati can be found here:
http://ucbearcats.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/cinn-m-baskbl-body.html
NEWS
FROM AROUND THE P.L.
On Tuesday, November 22nd. American lost to Wagner 75-59. Bucknell
defeated number 17th ranked Syracuse 74-69. Colgate was defeated by
Cornell 69-56. Lafayette defeated Alvernia 86-80. Lehigh swept by Stony
Brook 58-54. Navy barely lost to Arkansas-Little Rock, 61-57.
On Saturday, November 26th, Army will be hosting the Citadel at 1:00.
New Hampshire will be traveling to Colgate to take them on at 1:00.
American University will be traveling to La Salle to play them at 2:00
while the Yale Bulldogs are traveling to Bucknell to play them at 7:00.
The Standings:
Bucknell...2-0
Army...2-1
Holy Cross...2-1
Colgate...2-2
Lehigh...2-3
Lafayette...1-2
American...0-2
Navy...0-2
Kevin Hamilton is close to scoring his 1000th point of his career, and will probably score his 1000th point at Cincinnati.
INJURY UPDATES:
According to Coach Willard, Pat Doherty is trying to play through his foot pain, but he has lost some quickness at both ends of the floor. Willard fears his injury is getting worse, not better. Kevin Hamilton came into the Harvard game with a bad hip bruise. Keith still suffers from cramps, and Colin's nose is still broken.
SADER SPOTTING:
Greg Kinsey and Dan Brault were watching the game.
SOME THOGUHTS:
Well, I think everyone overlooked Harvard. Last year it seemed really easy for the Saders to beat them, but this year's Crimson came ready to play. I thought I would be able to celebrate by going to a Sader game after my stressful Tuesday, but there was not much celebrating going on at the Hart Center. Everyone was in low spirits, coaches, players, and fans. Hopefully the Saders will use their aggression about losing towards winning against Cincinnati. The Cross left Thanksgiving morning at six to travel to play this team. This is a reminder of the sacrifices this team has to make, as they could not celebrate Thanksgiving with their family. Their efforts are greatly appreciate by their fans. Now lets catch some bearcats!
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Saders triumph over the Tribe
On Saturday, November 19th, the Holy Cross Crusaders defeated the William and Mary Tribe 67-55 to become the champions of the William and Mary Tip Off Classic Tournament. The last time Holy Cross placed first in a regular season tournament was in 1982. One of the key successes to the Saders winning this ball game was their ability to prevent William and Mary from taking a lot of three point field goals, as they made ten three pointers in their game against Maine on the 18th.
In the first half the Saders came out on fire as they jumped to an outstanding 28-9 run where points were contributed by Kevin Hamilton (12), Torey Thomas (5), Alex Vander Baan (2), Keith Simmons (6), and Tim Clifford (2). The Cross continued their up-tempo play as they scored eleven more points to finish off the first half ahead, 39-16.
The beginning of the second half began with the Tribe scoring five points, yet the Cross was too much for William and Mary to handle as they struggled to gain the lead. The closest the Tribe came to obtaining the lead was when they were down by ten, 59-49. Kevin Hamilton, Torey Thomas, and Lawrence Dixon prevented the Cross from losing their advantage as they scored a combined total of eight points to secure the win.
HOT
PLAYERS OF THE BALL GAME
Kevin Hamilton POURED IN 18 points, and pulled down 9 rebounds.
Keith Simmons JAMMED IN 16 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, and snatched 2 steals in 38 minutes.
Torey Thomas HANDED OUT 10 assists, tossed in 15 points, ripped down 5 steals, and grabbed 4 steals in 37 minutes.
SHOCKING
STATS OF THE BALL GAME
The Saders had 9 steals while the Tribe had 5.
The Cross made 86% of their free throws!
The Saders held William and Mary to making only 23% of their two point field goals in the first half.
UPCOMING
GAME AGAINST HARVARD
On Tuesday,
November 22nd, at
For more information about Harvard visit:
Harvard Link
NEWS FROM
AROUND THE P.L.
On Saturday, November
19th,
On Sunday, November 20th,
On Monday, November 21st, Army defeated VMI 53-49. This is the first time since 2002 that Army defeated a non-conference team on the road.
Navy…0-1
Army…2-1
Bucknell…1-0
Lehigh…1-1
Holy Cross...2-0
Colgate…2-1
American…0-1
Kevin Hamilton was named Patriot League Player of the Week while Alex Vander Baan was named Patriot League Rookie of the Week. Keith Simmons was named to the William and Mary Tip-Off Classic All Tournament Team, and Kevin Hamilton was the MVP for the William and Mary Tournament.
SOME THOUGHTS
The Crusaders seemed to do an excellent job in sticking to their game plan during this match-up. All that I can think of right now is how exciting tomorrow night is going to be as the Saders kick off their home opener against Harvard. I doubt a lot of students will be in attendance as most will have left for their Thanksgiving break. Tomorrow I know I have two exams and a research project presentation, but this is simply the life of a high school senior. All the more reason to celebrate tomorrow night! Party Hearty! Happy Holidays!!
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Hart Hysteria